The Shepard Siblings
by Mine6Chan
Summary: Every family has their problems. The Shepards' problems just happens to involve guns, death, alien enemies and saving the galaxy. Hopefully little sister Jane will be up to the task and not kill or get killed by big brother John.
1. Chapter 1

Hi,

It's been a really long time since I posted this and now I'm rewriting it. The thing was that what I had before was just an idea that I wanted to throw out there and get feedback on (or so I'm trying to convince myself to feel less guilty). And I got quite good feedback on it, but then I had no idea how I wanted to proceed with it (which is true). But now I've done some brainstorming with **jamiepage19** (THANK YOU!) and I've got a better grasp on what it is I want to write. As a consequence of that I'm rewriting the first chapter. Not much, just to make it less confusing.

'Cause it's _really_ confusing…

Sorry for the long wait. Let's hope I don't disappoint.

* * *

**The Shepard Siblings**

**Chapter 1: Alive again**

"_...me?... Shepard… that bed now… facility is under attack… SHEPARD!"_

John Shepard blinked repeatedly and immediately wished for the oblivion of unconsciousness to take hold of him once again as pain, hot-blinding-blood-chilling _pain_, shot through him. But when the sweet depths of darkness did not embrace him and the pain slowly started to fade he opened his eyes and tried to focus on the ceiling. As he lay there he suddenly became aware of the dryness of his lips and tried to wet them but a fresh-white-hot pain shot through his jaw and he raised a shaky hand to rub it away.

There was a voice in the background but he could hardly hear it through the ringing in his ears and wondered, momentarily worried, if it were permanent.

He scanned the room as he tried to sit up and found out three things; the pain, although occasionally shooting through different parts of his body, was slowly but surely subsiding. Also, apart from being partly deaf his eyes could not focus and everything seemed to be covered in a white blur. Lastly, there was no one else in the room, a medical facility, and a sudden feeling of panic shot through him.

His hearing was starting to clear up and he could make out the female voice over the comm. He became wary as she told him his armour was in the locker but Shepard limped over to it as quickly as he could anyway. He did a second scanning of the room through blurry eyes andspotted the exit and then finally registered the sounds of muffled fired.

"No thermal clip." he croaked, thinking out loud, slightly surprised at the sound of his own voice while blinking rapidly to clear his eyes. The armour, black onyx armour with the N7 logo_,_ fit him like a glove and felt reassuring, like a mother's embrace.

"_This is a medical facility; we'll get you a thermal clip in a second." _

Shepard's eyes snapped up, gun ready, before he remembered that the voice was coming through a comm link and let out his breath. He was alone and safe, for the moment.

"_Get behind cover!"_

He barely managed to avoid getting his head blown off as the door flew over his head and the woman continued giving him directions. He acknowledged the useful information but ignored the personal inputs. The entire facility was under lock-down and John realised there was only one way to go.

_Sounds of gun fire. In the next room maybe? _He thought, gun at the ready.

The doors opened and Shepard reacted to the gunshots flying by, flinching, and remembering all too well the pain of a gunshot. A pain like no other.

"Shepard? What the hell?" a black man yelled in surprise over the sounds of fire.

_Is he a soldier, hired arms, what?_ Shepard wondered, ready for any attack but since he had not shot at him, yet, he took cover beside him.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were still a work in progress!"

"Are you with Miranda?" John asked but wondered about what the other man had just said. _Work in progress?_

The man grimaced. "Yeah. Sorry, I forgot this is all new to you right now. I'm Jacob Taylor. I've been stationed here for..." he was interrupted by more shots flying over their heads and returned the fire before turning towards Shepard. "Things must be worse than I thought if Miranda's got you running around. I'll fill you in, but we better get you to the shuttle first."

"Not until you tell me what's going on." Shepard said calmly and stared the other man down. Jacob broke and started answering his questions. If John was at all disturbed or confused or shocked about what he was hearing, he was hiding it very well. Never losing his mask of cool and collected calmness.

Shepard stood up and took out a Mech and then found out Jacob was a biotic. His thoughts momentarily shifted to his sister. They took out the rest. Jacob continued to tell him of the Normandy, his old crew, Miranda's dedication to the Project and how this _wasn't_ the Alliance. Jacob answered his questions the best he could but it was obvious he was trying to avoid telling him their location.

They moved forward, Shepard on guard for more Mechs and a possible gunshot in the back if he wasn't careful. Jacob was a soldier, there was no doubt about it. Everything about him screamed of Alliance training, but he wasn't Alliance. Not that Shepard would have trusted him even if he were. He had been dead, apparently, and now he wasn't. As far as John was concerned there was something very, very wrong.

They met up with Wilson and Jacob finally had to tell Shepard that they were Cerberus. It didn't change anything since John had no chance of escaping from the facility in time on his own, anyway.

Wilson did turn out to be a traitor, a spy, but Miranda took care of that when they met her. She was the bossy type, used to giving orders and she reeked of perfume.

They argued momentarily about remaining survivors but in the end there was no time and John boarded the shuttle with a heavy heart. It was not in his nature to leave men behind.

Finally John got the whole story and he tried to process the fact that he'd been more or less _dead_ for two whole years while Miranda asked him question after question about him. Meeting up with The Illusive Man was less pleasant than waking up had been hours earlier but he'd been lying if he said he wasn't happy about having the Normandy and Joker back. He was so happy in fact that he hugged the pilot, carefully of course.

"Er… yeah. Thanks, Commander. I guess…" Joker said awkwardly in the arms of the other man and patted him on the back.

* * *

What do you think? Better than before? I'm actually happier with it. Not like the other version which was a complete mess.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so here's the second chapter. This is where the fun starts! XD … Hopefully. I don't know why but I always doubt myself and my own stories. I have no problem with 'Dual Reality' but that's 'cause I'm not doing that one alone so it's not all my own ideas.

* * *

**The Shepard Siblings**

**Chapter 2: Meeting the family.**

So far John had managed to recruit Archangel, which had turned out to be Garrus after all, and the scientist. At the moment they were on their way to Illium to recruit their third person. John wasn't sure what to feel about them.

The doors to his quarters opened and Garrus walked in with bottles of beer for both of them. He placed the bottles on the table and took a seat opposite John who immediately grabbed one and downed it.

"Easy there, John. They're supposed to last." Garrus said with a twinkle in his eye. The two of them had become good friends, the best of friends even, and John's death had hit him hard.

"Sorry." John said sheepishly. "Thanks, by the way, for getting rid of all the surveillance in my room."

"Tech was never your strong side." Garrus teased.

John leaned back on the couch and put his feet up on the table. "Give me some explosives and a timer and I'll give you the best fireworks' show you've ever seen, but don't expect me to piece together something from scratch and have it doing precision jumps. That's more Tali's department."

"You're a soldier through and through." Garrus said. "Have you seen Tali, by the way?" he then asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah, saw her on Horizon. Asked her to join but she's busy with her own mission." John said and leaned his head back to stare up at the ceiling, suddenly nostalgic. "It was quite a shock, actually. She's grown a lot…" he then turned quiet and mumbled. "Everybody's changed in the last two years."

Garrus didn't know what to say to that and they sat in silence while drinking their beers. John stared at the fish tank wondering if perhaps he should get himself some fish but discarded the idea knowing he would forget to feed them and they would soon die. They were safer in the pet-shops. Suddenly he stood up, drawing Garrus attention and went to pick up a dossier from his desk.

"You remember I told you I have a sister?" John asked him.

"Yeah, and Alliance soldier like you. Never saw her though… She didn't show up at your funeral." Garrus said the last part quietly. "What about her?" he asked and took the dossier John handed to him.

"She's next on the list." He said and watched Garrus read her file. "… Apparently she's working for Cerberus, now." He continued, unsure about how to feel about that. "Has been for the last two years or so."

Garrus looked up at his friend. John had told him about his sister and the complicated relationship they shared, in exchange for Garrus telling him about his own relationship with his father. He knew both John and his sister were orphaned kids who'd grown up on the streets of some major city on Earth. John had joined the military the moment he'd turned 18, or what he guessed was 18 since he didn't know his precise age, and had left his sister at an orphanage. His sister had seen it as being abandoned and hadn't stayed in the orphanage for long. They hadn't seen each other for four years until John had received some news from former "friends" about her joining the military as well, apparently following in big brother's footsteps. Their reunion had been anything but pleasant.

"You think it has anything to do with your death?" Garrus asked.

John shook his head. "I don't know." He ran a hand over his short hair. "I have no idea what to think."

"I guess we'll find out when we see her." Garrus said and looked back down at the dossier in his hand, reading through it once again. _Cerberus agent. Why would John's sister join a xenophobic organisation? _He wondered slightly worried.

A couple of hours and a bittersweet reunion with Liara later, Shepard stood outside of an apartment door in a very luxurious building on Illium with Garrus and Jacob.

_At least they pay well_. He thought and rang the bell.

If it been up to him he would have only brought Garrus along but Miranda had nagged on and on about him needing to always have a two-man team with him. John knew it was because she wanted to keep an eye on him and he knew that Miranda would have preferred it if she were a permanent member on his team but he'd rather be spaced again then have her breathing down his neck. He would have taken Mordin but the scientist had made some breakthrough or another on the Collector's and that left Jacob. John wasn't sure where he had the other man but knew that time would either prove him to be a valuable asset or an annoying liability, like Miranda already was. She also reminded him a bit too much of certain women from his childhood. The type of women he'd rather forget.

When the door finally opened John was both shocked and outraged at what he saw. His sister stood before him in nothing but a towel that barely covered anything, fresh out of the shower, and with fresh and still bleeding cuts and bruises all over her body. Her face had been calm and collected when she'd opened the door but she moment she'd laid eyes on John they darkened in anger. She leaned against the doorway and in doing so her towel started to come undone. She grabbed it in one hand and held it firmly against her breasts. Behind him John could hear Jacob draw in a sharp breath.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Johnny-boy. Finally remembered you have a sister?" she asked with a demeaning smirk.

"Jane." John said. He was shocked at both her appearance, and worried about her cuts, and at her attitude. She didn't seem the least bit shocked to see him _alive_.

Jane looked him over from head to toe. "They've done quite a good job." She started. "TIM sends me updates on your progress. A week ago he called and informed me of your resurrection… So, how's it feel being back from the dead?" she asked. Behind her brother Garrus wondered out loud about "TIM" which drew her attention to both him and Jacob.

John drew in a deep breath. "Jane, I'm here to-"

"Recruit me to save the universe. Yeah, I know. Like I said, TIM keeps me updated." She interrupted him and then walked back into the apartment, leaving the door open for them to enter.

They followed her inside. The apartment was decorated with furniture from the most expensive brands and priceless pieces of art hung on the walls. There were also bottles of alcohol on every available surface and pieces of clothing were thrown everywhere.

"Wait here." She ordered and disappeared into the bedroom.

"Wow." Jacob said. He hadn't known that the sister of John Shepard was his colleague and had been happily surprised by her.

John on the other hand, did not like any of it and when he turned to Jacob the other man had his gaze firmly fixated on the bedroom door. John glared. "Stop looking, Taylor." He growled threateningly.

Jacob snapped out of it, embarrassed to have been so taken by her and _caught_ _staring_. Instead he fixed his gaze on the paintings.

_It's hard not to look_. Garrus thought but did not say out loud. He had a sister of his own and could imagine what John was feeling right now. He had also been surprised by the human female that had opened the door, and the cuts and bruises on her also worried him.

The bedroom door opened but Jane was not alone when she stepped out, this time dressed in panties and a top. An asari stepped out before her and stared at the three other men in the room. She turned to the woman behind her and pulled her into a deep kiss before whispering something to her and then left, pushing past John on her way out. Following the two women a turian, dressed only in pants walked up to Jane from behind and placed his hands on her hips, nuzzling against her neck. Garrus' mandibles flared in shock and John's eyes widened comically before darkening with anger. Jacob had returned to staring at her.

"This was fun, Jane. We should do it again sometime." He said loud enough for everyone to hear and Jane gave a soft laugh.

The turian stepped past her and his mandibles flared when he spotted Garrus. Garrus pulled himself to his full height and tensed. The unknown turian approached him but stopped at the table to pick up a shirt, apparently his, and then the two of them stood there glaring at each other before the other turian smirked and left the apartment as well. Meanwhile Jane had returned to her bedroom and when she stepped out of it the second time she was dressed in grey cargo pants and a shirt with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Let's go." She said and walked out of the apartment. The others followed her and they were all surprised that she seemed to know her way to where the Normandy was docked.

They arrived unannounced back on the Normandy and Joker turned his chair while greeting them. "Hey, Commander! So did you find your sissssssss…"

Before him stood a goddess. A hot fiery amazon warrior with flaming red hair and emerald eyes. Body nicely curved and with a _very_ nice rack. _I think I'm on love._ Joker thought. Then she turned and walked down the ship. _No! Where are you going my amazon goddess? _He thought desperately.

"Wipe the drool off your face Joker." John ordered darkly before he marched off after his sister. He caught her by the elbow and directed her towards the elevator. The tension left as they disappeared behind the doors of the elevator was thick enough to be cut with a knife and the crew men shared worried gazes.

The ride up to John's quarters was held in silence but not once did John let go of his bone-crushing grip on his sister. He pushed her into the small corridor leading to his room and pushed her through the doors, locking them behind him.

"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed at her, barely containing his anger.

"Helping you destroy the Collector's." she responded calmly and looked over his quarters. She walked down the steps and sat down on the couch as she grabbed one of the bottles left from earlier, now lukewarm but she drank it anyway.

John glowered. "That's not what I meant and you fucking now it, Jane! What the hell are you doing working for _Cerberus_! And what the _hell_ was that at your apartment!" he demanded to know.

"For your information it's not _my_ apartment. It's Cerberus property and what I'm doing working for Cerberus is none of you fucking business, Johnny boy!" she yelled. "You left, remember?" she said mockingly.

"I died!" he yelled back at her punching the wall in anger.

"And the three years before that? Let me, guess. You _forgot_." She snarled. "Why the hell did you have to come back, anyway? I was doing just fine with you dead, Johnny." She said angry at him.

John was stunned. His sister, the only family he'd ever had, just told him she wished he were dead. Told him she'd been better off with him dead. "Get out." He hissed and didn't wait for her to follow his order. He grabbed her once again, this time by her hair, and forced her out, throwing her out of his quarters so hard she slammed against the wall in the corridor before closing and locking the doors behind him.

Jane hissed at the pain from having her hair pulled and rubbed at her skull. She took the elevators down to the crew's deck and rubbed her arm where John had grabbed her, fresh bruises already starting to show. When the doors opened again the turian from before stood there, waiting for her. She raised an eyebrow in question.

"You should have those wounds checked." Garrus said mentioning to the cuts visible on her arms but also wanting to have her completely checked over.

"I don't think so." She said and went to push past him but was grabbed for the third time today, however this time gently, and directed towards the med bay.

Both Chakwas and Mordin were in the med bay having some discussion about Joker's condition and possible treatments when the doors opened to reveal Garrus holding a female human by the arm. Garrus face was impassive but Chakwas had learned to read the emotions his eyes always seemed to express and could see his concern. Her gaze then fell on the smaller being of the two and she smiled, immediately seeing the resemblance.

"Hello, dear. I'm doctor Chakwas and this is Mordin. Welcome to the med bay. " she said with a welcoming smile. Her eyes then turned to the cuts and bruises on her arms. "Now, let's have a look at you, my dear." She said and mentioned to one of the beds.

Garrus pushed her towards it and made her sit. He did not leave and blocked her exit. Chakwas chuckled softly. "Now if you would hold up your arms, dear, I'll have you back in perfect condition in no time at all."

"She has them on her back as well." Garrus suddenly spoke up drawing Chakwas' attention.

"Oh?" she said and turned back towards her patient. The look in her eyes told her she wanted her to take off her shirt. But when she didn't show any indication of taking anything off, Garrus took a step forwards.

"Fine!" she yelled and pulled her shirt and top off in one go. Leaving her naked from the waist up. "Asshole." She growled at him.

"Hm. Seems to be turian markings." Mordin voiced as he looked at the cuts on her back and then turned to Garrus. "I would recommend-" he started but stopped.

Garrus growled warningly, telling Mordin to drop it. Mordin said no more but turned to his omni-tool and started mumbling about 'turian behaviour'.

"There, all done!" Chakwas spoke up and picked up Jane's clothes and handed them to her. "There shouldn't be any infection but if you feel any pain or discomfort at all don't hesitate to come to me. I have a strict doctor-patient confidentiality." She said and smiled.

Jane only looked at the doctor and then put on her clothes before exiting the med bay. Leaving behind her three amused beings.

"Most interesting." Mordin then mumbled and turned back to his omni-tool.

Chakwas smiled at Garrus and he gave her a nod before leaving the med bay as well to return to his calibrations now that he'd done what John had asked.

* * *

So? What do you guys think? I especially like the whole scene at her apartment. ^o^

This was fun, but now I have to go back to writing 'Dual Reality'. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up soon. For both stories.


	3. Chapter 3

All right, here's the third chapter for you guys. Please leave a review telling me what you liked or what you didn't like. I appreciate any and all constructive criticism. Or just tell me you liked it and would like for me to update faster. I get a sort of guilty feeling from those kinds of reviews and they help "motivate" me into writing, especially now that I know what it is I want to do with this story. Also, feel free to tell me what you would like to happen in the story. I can't promise I'll listen to all of them but since I want the family feeling in it, there might be some ideas you guys have for little "family" type of scenes.

* * *

**The Shepard Siblings**

**Chapter 3: Establishing Grounds**

Jane was alone in the crew quarters, the pair that had been sitting at the table talking about their families had left after she'd stared at them for more than fifteen minutes straight. Once she'd been left alone Jane had proceeded to sabotage the surveillance equipment she knew was in every nook and cranny of her brother's ship. She wasn't going to remove them or cause any permanent damage, but she wasn't going to have them watching her while she was alone. Once she'd made sure no one was watching her and that no one was going to unexpectedly enter the room she removed her clothes and started to unwrap the bandages the doctor had practically covered her in. None of the cuts were bleeding any longer and Jane was silently thankful for the doctor's good work even though she would never express it. She rummaged through her bags and pulled out a pack of medi-gel developed by Cerberus and applied it to all the wounds she could reach. Jane watched as the cuts closed right before her eyes and the dark bruises disappeared in a matter of moments. Cerberus had spent a considerable amount of credits on improving the medi-gel until they had finally achieved their goal, but the because of the contents of the medi-gel and the way it worked it was highly illegal and Cerberus only distributed it to its employees. Although, Jane seriously doubted that this type of medi-gel could be found in the med bay. Neither the doctor nor John would probably allow it.

Once she'd taken care of her wounds she redressed in a high collared jacket to avoid any questions. She then proceeded to clean her handguns. It had been some time since she'd used them, two years to be exact, and wanted to make sure they were in perfect condition. Jane had no desire to explore the ship, TIM had already given her files containing all the information there was the new Normandy and she saw no need to walk around on a ship she already knew and be submitted to stares and whispers.

_How I regret answering that message. _She thought and closed her eyes. Her hands ceased their actions and she sighed deeply.

Her omni-tool suddenly beeped, alerting her of someone trying to enter the quarters and she allowed the doors to open. They opened to reveal a slender woman with soft orange hair and green eyes. Her lips were thick and inviting and Jane found herself smiling suggestively at her to which the other woman blushed.

"Can I help you?" Jane asked. _Kelly Chambers. Johnny Boy's "assistant" and the ship's shrink._

"Ah! Yes… Or, I mean… Well…" her gazed flickered to the side and then back at her several times before she entered the room. "I'm Kelly Chambers, Miss Shepard. Your brother's assistant." She paused and waited for a response but got nothing but the same flirtatious smile since the doors had opened. She blushed harder. "You see, I've taken the liberty to welcome each new member of the crew and I thought that we could have a chat." She finished and stepped up to the end of the bed that Jane was sitting on. Her gaze sifted down to the guns in the other woman's hands.

Jane raised an eyebrow. "But the Commander hasn't actually assigned you to greet new members of the crew?" she asked.

Kelly blushed again. _What is wrong with me?_ She wondered. "No, but the Commander is very busy and-"

"Most officers don't appreciate their subordinates taking liberties such as these, Miss Chambers. I understand you have the best of intentions but you should have asked permission from your commanding officer. He is after all the one in charge on board this vessel and he needs to be able to trust his crew members." Jane said in a teasing manner.

Kelly stared at her, unable to come up with a response. Jane smirked.

"Thank you for coming by, Miss Chambers, but you don't need to concern yourself with me. Now, if you'd please." She said and mentioned towards the doors.

Kelly only nodded and turned around and left. The doors closed behind her and she stood there, uncertain about what had just happened.

"Kelly, you all right?" Jacob asked as he spotted her standing there. He approached her and placed a hand on her arm.

Kelly turned wide eyes on him. "Fine, I'm fine."

Jacob didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I just… I just talked with Jane. The Commander's sister." She said.

Jacob grinned, understanding. "She's really something, isn't she?"

Kelly shook her head and snapped out of her trance, smiling as she replied to his question. "Yes. Yes, she is. Something, indeed."

Inside of her own room, the only other person with private quarters except for the Commander, Miranda frowned at the static shown on her monitors. _First Shepard's quarters, then the main battery and the lab, and now the crew's quarters. I bet it's his sister. That woman is outrageous! I don't understand why The Illusive Man has her in such high regards! She was almost completely useless for the Lazarus Project! _

Miranda had first met Jane Shepard two years ago and had been completely humiliated by the stronger woman and her biotics. She'd been furious at the way The Illusive Man seemed to trust her and she had even taken her place by his side, mocking her every chance she got. Jane always seemed to know exactly what was going on, nothing took her by surprise, and she never seemed to be faced by anything. To someone like Miranda who needed to be the superior and in charge of every situation, Jane was absolutely infuriating. The sabotage of the surveillance equipment was just another thing to add on to the list of reasons why Miranda Lawson hated Jane Shepard.

Not that Jane had any positive feelings about Miranda Lawson, either. Back in her bunk she could clearly remember TIM making it very clear to her that she was expected to follow his golden girls' orders, and that the only reason she was kept by his side was so that he could keep an eye on her personally. _Not that he'd ever tell her that. He needs her to feel like she's replaceable or she'll become unbearable. _Jane thought and cocked her gun with a smile on her lips.

Back in the quarters of the Normandy's Commanding Officer, John was trying to drown his feelings of guilt with beer. They hadn't seen nor heard from each other for _five_ years and the first thing he does is hurt her. John was usually a man capable of great patience but had never been able to practice that specific virtue around his sister. He smiled and leaned back against his couch, throwing his head back and closing his eyes. She was his baby sister, he had been responsible for her safety and survival during their childhood and she had been the only person whom he could trust. The only person who trusted _him_, unconditionally.

_And then you left. Aren't you the best big brother ever?_

"I need something stronger." John said out loud and stood up on surprisingly steady legs. _Damn these cybernetics! Can't even get drunk properly. _

As he reached the two stairs the door to his quarters opened and Garrus stepped inside. "Shepard."

"Garrus!" John greeted him happily. Maybe the alcohol was affecting him more than he thought.

"You okay?" Garrus asked when she spotted the number of empty bottle on the table.

John had crouched down by his own desk and was opening drawers looking for the bottle of whiskey he knew was in there somewhere. "AHA!" he yelled once he found it. "I'm fine, Garrus. Care for a drink?" he said and held up the bottle.

Garrus shook his head and took a seat. He watched his friend happily pour himself a glass humming while he did so. "I made the doctor treated your sister's cuts." He told him.

The change in John was immediate. One moment he'd been nursing his glass and cooing at it like a mother at her child, and the next all signs of drunken happiness were as blown away and instead he had depressed and guilty look on his face. "She hates me."

"Er…"

"My baby sister hates me." He placed his glass on the table and covered his face with his hands before he shot up on his feet and started to pace. "I raised her! I _protected_ her, and _feed_ her, and- and- and _this_ is how she repays me?" he yelled. "By working for _Cerberus_ and sleeping around with asari and _turians_! …No offence." He said and shot a Garrus an apologetic look.

"None taken." Garrus responded knowing that John's problem lay with her behaviour and not with the alien races. "But John, you _left_ her. In an orphanage while you joined the military." Garrus argued, feeling he needed to speak up for the small woman who'd been alone most of her adult life.

"I know that!" John said defensively. "It's just… She's my _sister_, Garrus... She's my sister." John seemed to plead to him.

Garrus nodded. Understanding perfectly what it was John wanted to say. He had a sister of his own and while she didn't need Garrus to look out for her, she was still his sister, his family, and family was important to turians even if Garrus was having a hard time getting along with his own family, himself.

The hours passed with every member of the Normandy's crew doing their work or staying out of the way for the people doing their work. Jane hadn't left the crew's quarters since she'd boarded the ship and with the exception of Kelly, no one had come to disturb her. Garrus and John were still up in the Commanders private room and the ship had an empty feeling to it without the Commander running his rounds and asking how everyone was doing. John had given Joker orders to head to Korlus in the Imir System of the Eagle Nebula to recruit the Warlord and to not disturb him until they were close enough to drop down on the planet. John was upset over his sister, because of her behaviour but also because of the way he had treated her. He wanted to apologise to her but didn't know how to approach her. He was also afraid of losing control again and hurting her like he had done earlier. He knew he could ask Garrus to be there with him just in case, but he wasn't sure Jane would appreciate his presence. She might just feel cornered and threatened, and lash out at him which John knew would only make him lose his temper and he feared this would only result in more unnecessary problems between them.

"Commander, we're 30 minutes from the drop off on Korlus." EDI's voice spoke as her blue orb appeared and cast an eerie blue light into the dimly lit quarters.

"Thanks, EDI." John said and got up on his feet next to Garrus. "Tell Jane to meet us down in the cargo hold in five minutes." He ordered and started to put on his armour.

"You're taking her with you?" Garrus asked, surprised since John gave him the impression of the protective brother. He'd thought that he'd let her rest and recover before taking her planet-side.

"I need to see what she can do and there's no time like the present." John told him. He knew his sister was strong and wouldn't let some minor cuts hinder her, and he also didn't want to leave her on the Normandy alone and give Jacob a chance to approach her. Besides, he finally had enough people to leave both Miranda and Jacob off his team permanently. "Come on, Garrus. There's no one I'd rather have watching my back and my sister's."

Garrus mandibles flared in a grin. "Fine, but if I actually have to _babysit_ your sister I'm gonna have to charge you. And I warn you, Shepard. I don't come cheap."

* * *

So? Did you like it? I hope it was worth the wait… sorry for taking so long, by the way. ^-^

There's one thing I want to say before the next chapter and that is that I'm **not** going to write every battle/fight scene that happens in the game. I know I'm following the storyline of the game, with a few exceptions, but I feel that since all of you (well 99.999999% of the ME readers) have already played the game you don't want to read yet _another_ story that retells every battle all over again. I've read a couple of stories, _good stories_, that retell almost the entire game but with their own Shepard character and different background and romances, and when I read those I find myself jumping the parts I recognise from the game, and I don't want that happening here. I don't want to bore you guys with the same thing all over again. But that doesn't mean I won't do the battles, just that I won't be concentrating on them.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review!


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